


Looks Can Be Deceiving

by Pennygirl612



Category: White Collar
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-31 01:17:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13964220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennygirl612/pseuds/Pennygirl612
Summary: Neal needs comforting on what would have been Kate's 30th birthday.  He finds it in a surprising way with Elizabeth and Peter.





	Looks Can Be Deceiving

“Honey, this isn’t what it looks like!” Elizabeth exclaimed upon spying Peter leaning against the wall; an impassive look on his face, his body taunt with tension. She couldn’t blame him. This did not look good. After all, she was lying in bed with Neal cradled in her arms.

Earlier that day…

Peter was deep in reviewing financial statements when he felt the buzz of his phone. Pulling it from his jacket pocket, caller ID indicated a blocked number. Peter sighed. Odds were good he knew exactly who was on the other end of the line and generally these phone calls were never good. 

“Burke,” he barked. 

“Suit,” Mozzie barked right back. “The Bird is blue with clipped wings and flying aimlessly.”

Peter bit back a retort and wiped his hand across his face. He was in no mood for Mozzie’s cryptic messages today. “Mozzie, are you talking about Neal? I already know he’s sick. He sent me a text this morning and said he had a migraine. I gave him the day off. What more do you want?”

The long pause on the other end of the phone caused Peter to check and see if he still had an open connection. Finally, Mozzie spoke. “You never actually talked to him? Today of all days?”

Peter felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and a sick feeling knotted his stomach. What did he mean by today of all days? He hadn’t talked with Neal. He knew he suffered from debilitating headaches from time to time. Things had been really good with them lately, and he had taken the text at face value. Had that been a mistake? Was Neal up to something? 

“Mozzie, tell me right now what’s going on!” Peter demanded.

“Maybe you should go see for yourself, Suit,” Mozzie said and hung up.  
*****  
Taking the steps two at a time, Peter didn’t bother to knock before he entered June’s guest room. His eyes searching the apartment, Neal was initially nowhere to be found. Peter felt panic threaten to take hold as he took in the sights around him: a turned over chair in the kitchenette, one half-empty whiskey bottle on the table, the shattered remains of what Peter guessed to be a second bottle, and most disturbing, the pile of slashed painting. 

“Neal?!” Peter called out now feeling desperate to find his partner and friend. 

A slurred reply came from the bathroom. “Leave me alone.” 

Bursting in, Peter found Neal sitting on the shower floor, arms wrapped tightly around his knees and his head hung low. Squatting at his side, Peter detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from Neal. 

“Neal?” Peter kept his voice calm. “What’s going on, buddy?”

Neal raised his head and Peter could see the tears still threatening to fall in Neal’s red-rimmed eyes. His voice filled with hurt and suffering was haunting. “Would have been thirty today. Not fair. Should have been me. Should have been me. Not fair. Should have…” Neal’s voice trailed off as he passed out.

Peter felt his heart breaking and silently cursed himself. It was Kate’s birthday. How could he have forgotten? Because she had always been nothing more than a means to an end for you, Peter thought bitterly. With a sigh, he half carried, half dragged Neal out of the bathroom and got him into bed. Pulling a sheet over him, Peter studied Neal. Even in his sleep, he was restless and the pain he felt evident on his face. 

Feeling the buzz of his phone again, Peter assumed it was Mozzie and said heatedly, “I can’t believe you just left him like this!”

“Honey? What’s wrong?”

Guilt immediately stabbed at Peter hearing the concern in Elizabeth’s voice. Without hesitation, Peter filled Elizabeth in on Neal’s condition and the likely cause behind it. Peter felt relief wash over him when Elizabeth said she was on her way. His wife was much better at these kinds of emotional things; she would know what to do. 

Upon her arrival, Elizabeth quickly assessed the situation and immediately took charge. She woke Neal up long enough to have him swallow a couple of aspirin and to drink some water. Then she told Peter to go back to work. She would look after Neal until he returned. Though reluctant, Peter left knowing that Neal was in the best possible hands. 

When he returned several hours later, he was a little stunned at the picture presenting itself before him. Neither Neal nor Elizabeth had heard him enter and from his vantage point they couldn’t see him, but he could certainly see them. For a brief moment, Peter felt like he was trespassing, but he remained rooted just outside of their view.

Neal was leaning into Elizabeth and she was rhythmically stroking his back. They were softly talking to one another, and Peter had to step closer to make out their words.

“I’m so sorry,” Neal said.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Elizabeth assured him.

“It’s my fault you died,” Neal answered, nearly sobbing.

“No, it’s not. You can’t blame yourself.”

“I can’t live without you.”

“You can.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know, but you must.”

“Kate, I love you.” 

“I know, baby, I love you.”

Elizabeth’s heart broke for Neal but she maintained her cover hoping it was the right thing to do. He had woken up moments earlier, clearly disoriented until he had seen her and then his eyes had brightened for a moment. Elizabeth had smiled and walked towards the bed. She stopped in her tracks when he called out her name—or rather called out Kate’s name. And then she watched as the light in his eyes dulled, and he crumbled back down onto the bed. He had told her she was dead; that he had killed her. Elizabeth can’t say what possessed her but she told him that she was here. Dull pain changed to disbelief and then to melancholy. 

“Kate?” Neal whispered; the uncertainty evident in his voice.

She started to answer, but was taken by surprise when Neal pulled back to create enough space to take her face into his hands. Elizabeth held her breath as Neal stared into her eyes and ever so slowly brought his lips to hers. At first, their lips merely brushed against one another before he pulled her in closer and deepened the kiss. Elizabeth gently ran her fingers through his hair while his tongue pressed into her mouth lightly asking for entrance which she allowed after a moment of hesitation. The kiss was not one of passion but felt more of regret and of unspoken loss. They remained locked together before Neal finally broke away. 

Taking her hand, Neal led her the few feet to the bed. “I know this isn’t real, Kate. I know it’s just a dream, but I don’t want to wake up. Not yet. Lie with me? Hold me? Let me dream just a little bit longer.”

Elizabeth allowed herself to be pulled down onto the bed. Lying on her back, Neal curled up against her with his head against her shoulder. She held him tight and whispered in his ear for him to sleep. Everything would be okay when he woke up. She continued to whisper until she felt his body relax against her and his breathing slowed. 

It was then that Elizabeth realized they weren’t alone in the room. Spying Peter, she inhaled sharply. How long had he been here? What was he thinking seeing his wife in bed with another man? 

“Honey, this isn’t what it looks like!”

At first Peter didn’t answer feeling distraught over the misery he had just witnessed from his friend. When he at last met Elizabeth’s eyes, he made sure to let her see his love for her. “It looks like my best friend was hurting and my wife, my wonderful, caring wife did what she had to do to take away a little bit of that pain so that he could begin to heal.”

In relief, Elizabeth exhaled the breath she had been holding. “In that case, it’s exactly what it looks like.”

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure how happy I am with this ending or the title . Please feel free to comment.


End file.
